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In
the spirit of following a Reggio Inspired Approach to early childhood
education, and in assessing children's ongoing growth and development
using documentation of children's work and observational anecdotal
records through the Creative Curriculum's online assessment tools
(including the Individual Child Profile), the faculty and staff of the
Child Development and Learning Laboratory and Human Development and
Family Studies area hold to the following philosophical ideas in the
education of young children:

These ideas are founded on the belief that children, teachers and
parents are considered the three central protagonists in the educational
process (Gandini, 1993). We believe that ALL children are creative
thinkers, who thrive when they can explore, take risks and use their
imaginations to participate in research and construct learning within
the context of interactions with other children, adults and the
environment. All children have a right to practice making choices,
negotiate, explore without fear of criticism, make mistakes, feel safe,
experience trust, be heard and be respected within a set of boundaries
established by nurturing adults. Teachers are critical partners in the
educational process and have the responsibility to establish boundaries,
nurture a sense of community, plan the environment based on individual
children's interests/needs/developmental levels, guide children's
discovery and learning opportunities, listen, observe, question and
document as they engage in research side by side with the children.
Parents and parent figures are children's most consistent teachers and
must be included as active participants and partners in each child's
education. Teachers and parents should work to establish trusting
relationships as they interact for the purpose of sharing goals and
guiding practices for the children in the program. Parents and family
members also share in the valuable role of enhancing the curriculum of
the program as they contribute their talents, skills and traditions with
the school as experts of their home culture and heritage. Because the
use of educational space is critical to the learning that takes place
within it, the CDLL is dedicated to creating an environment that
provokes inquiry, communication and relationships. This space will be
organized with a sense of beauty, comfort, and consideration of valuing
and sustaining the natural environment.